Man sentenced to life in prison for shooting death of ex-wife

Heather Willard
·2 min read
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DENVER (KDVR) — A man who was found guilty of murdering his wife was sentenced to serve life in prison with no possibility of parole for the shooting death of his ex-wife early on March 30, 2023.

David Lechner, 46, was arrested after he was accused of shooting and killing his ex-wife, Tracy Lechner. Lechner allegedly told police he was “trying to protect his kids,” according to the arrest affidavit.

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On April 18, A jury found Lechner guilty of first-degree murder, attempted kidnapping and use of a stun gun after members deliberated for about four hours. His conviction carries an automatic life sentence without parole.

“While this conviction ensures a murderer will never be able to walk free, no sentence can replace the life he took that day,” said 18th Judicial Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Gallo. “Two children are now growing up without their mother while their father sits behind bars. I can only hope this sentence brings some closure to Tracy’s family.”

A woman smiles at a table
A woman smiles at a table

According to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the incident began just after 8 a.m. on March 30, 2023, when Arapahoe County deputies were dispatched to a home in the 5200 block of South Geneva Way in Centennial. A woman’s body was found on the garage floor next to her SUV, and later an autopsy report identified her as Tracy Lechner and found her manner of death was multiple gunshot wounds.

A witness reported seeing Lechner standing over Tracy, pulling the trigger at point-blank range and then running to his getaway vehicle, according to the DA’s Office. The office said the witness used his rental truck to ram Lechner’s vehicle, which led to deputies arresting Lechner without incident down the street.

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During trial, Lechner’s attorneys argued it was self-defense as Lechner was confronting Tracy in her garage to attempt to prevent her from divorcing him.

However, investigators say that Lechner had purchased a vehicle under a false name, a GPS tracking unit, gloves, duct tape, zip ties and a tarp. He had also arrived with a stun gun and a gun on the day of the murder, according to investigators.

“This was not a case of self-defense,” Deputy District Attorney Tory Reavis said in a release. “This was a calculated murder plot to avoid a divorce and have sole custody of his children. The evidence shows he incapacitated Tracy with a stun gun and then shot her three times, including once in the head.”

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